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UnlockEd institute sees waitlist spike
A new summer program for students with dyslexia and other learning gaps is preparing to expand after wrapping up its inaugural four-week session with strong demand for next year.
Chosen Women Empower launched the UnlockEd Summer Institute last month, serving 10 students with individualized academic instruction, including STEM activities, sports development and leadership programming. With no cost to participating families, the program already has 41 students on a waitlist for next summer, according to CEO and founder Chevalier DeShay.
“We didn’t know what the response would be,” DeShay said. “The overwhelming response from families has reinforced the need for this type of programming.”
DeShay added the program was created in response to academic gaps that widened during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for students with dyslexia and different educational demands.
“For myself living in Bastrop County, I have to drive my child to Austin for an education that makes up that gap,” she said. “So, I thought about all the other parents and students who don’t have that luxury.”
The institute combines five nationally recognized educational models into its curriculum —DIBELS 8 for reading comprehension, IXL for mathematics, creative STEM enrichment, sports development and a house system focused on teamwork and leadership.
All of this is delivered at a one-to-two teacher- to-student ratio that allows educators to tailor lessons to child-specific needs.
According to DeShay, the small class size was intentional, based in part on her family’s experience supporting a child with dyslexia.
“The teachers were just as excited as the students,” DeShay said. “The funny thing is we have teachers on the wait list to actually teach next summer.”
Grants, community donations and local partnerships help make the program free for families.
“The funding is truly necessary,” DeShay said. “We need help to step into the education realm and understand that when our children are struggling, it really does cause a health impact, but then it also causes a household impact.”
With demand for the program already exceeding its capacity, the nonprofit plans to expand in 2027 and continue to reach more students across Bastrop County.
“The funny thing is we have teachers on the wait list to actually teach next summer.”
— Chevalier DeShay, UnlockEd Summer Institute CEO and founder
